The Young Founders Lab is a virtual incubator for ambitious high school students who want to build startups and non-profits. With mentorship from founders, students learn how to develop and launch revenue-generating and impactful ventures. YFL mentors come from Harvard Business School, McKinsey, and Google. YFL provides a hands-on experience, helping students gain the practical knowledge and confidence to grow their business ideas.
YFL is offered in two formats:
Individual Program: A personalized startup bootcamp where students work one-on-one with a mentor to develop a revenue-generating startup addressing a problem. This program includes interactive classes, workshops, and a demo day to pitch the startup. Startup founders receive 12 hours of personalized coaching, while non-profit founders participate in a 3-month curriculum.
Group Program: A collaborative startup bootcamp where students work in small teams to launch a venture. The program offers mentorship, skill-building sessions, and culminates in a demo day to present the startup. Students participate in 30 hours of live workshops.
Eligibility Criteria
All high school students (grades 9–12) are eligible to join the program, with no prior entrepreneurship or nonprofit experience required. The program is fully virtual, conducted through online meetings, readings, and assignments. Students retain full ownership of their startups and have the opportunity to pitch to potential investors during a demo day.